Chapter 30
At the Greatful Sound Festival, the rain stops. People are still crowding toward the 3rd Stage. The numbers for the stages are: Main Stage, 10,800; 2nd Stage, 2,100; and 3rd Stage, 5,500. Leon Sykes is upset, because he didn't think this would happen. Gordie complains that it is Malcolm's fault for quitting when the rain started. Gordie then starts joking around about Ryusuke and the letter that John Lee Davis wrote to him. Leon informs him that it is typical for John Lee Davis to give overly encouraging statements out, but that he never gave Lucille away before. Leon is convinced it is John Lee Davis' age getting to him, since there is nothing special about BECK. Meanwhile at the 3rd Stage, the number counter is at 5,714 and with so many people coming through at once, it is more of an estimate than an actual count. Leon Sykes and Gordie arrive at the 3rd Stage. Koyuki is singing "Out of the Hole." Leon Sykes is impressed. When Gordie notices his attention, Leon tells him that it is Koyuki who is drawing the audience. As Koyuki looks out over the crowd, he is shocked by their reaction. He feels a connection with everyone there. The crowd screams for an encounter while the count has swelled to over 7,000 in attendance. The members of BECK listen to the calls for an encore from inside the tent beside the stage. Taira thanks Koyuki for being brave enough to take the initiative to go up on stage. Chiba is excited and wants to perform an encore, but the others are tired and Koyuki says that he needs at least a 3 minute rest. Saku tells Chiba that if he wouldn't have joined in for only half the performance, he would be as tired as the rest of them. Ryusuke throws a water bottle and tells them that Koyuki is too exhausted before leaving. Taira murmurs that he thought this would be a permanent band, causing Koyuki to race after Ryusuke. As he chases after, Koyuki trips and falls over, so Ryusuke stops and checks to see if he is okay before running away. Fireworks erupt overhead while Eiji and Yoshito have an argument. The final numbers are: Main Stage, 8,900; 2nd Stage, 980; and 3rd Stage, 8,100. Satou is thrilled that the 3rd Stage is making a bid for having the most in attendance, but unfortunately, the 3rd Stage is in chaos with the lack of an encore. Koyuki is sneaking through the crowd, when he is spotted and recognized as BECK's singer. Just as the crowd rushes him, a hand reaches out and grabs Koyuki, pulling him away from the crowd. When he looks up, Koyuki finds that Maho has come to help him. Maho pulls Koyuki into the forest and they run until Koyuki falls over. Koyuki realizes Maho must have watched BECK and embraces her. Maho hugs him back and tells him that she thought he was great. They share a kiss then. After their moment together, Koyuki tells Maho that it was BECK's last performance. On the next day, Koyuki spends the day with Taira and Saku, listening to some of the performing bands. He hears some of the festival goers talking about BECK. When the festival ends, the band drives home. Koyuki thinks about how everything will be dull compared to BECK as they drive. About a month later on, Saku and Koyuki return to school, although they don't see Chiba. Saku and Koyuki read an article about BECK's performance in a magazine in the library. When he is at home, Koyuki's mother calls him downstairs to take a phone call from Satou. She tells Koyuki that she wants to meet him at noon the next day, no matter what. Koyuki meets her at a skyscraper where she tells him that BECK has generated a lot of attention. Satou takes Koyuki into a room where Leon Sykes and Gordie are waiting. Leon begins talking to Koyuki about debuting as a solo artist in the United States. Satou has to translate since Koyuki doesn't speak English well. Koyuki is shocked by the offer. Category:Chapters